Awards & prizes

How winners are chosen

Our Academy members watch the films in each category and score them. The highest-scored films become the Top Nominees, and after a final round the Academy chooses the Winner of each category. Some categories, like the Audience Award, are decided by public vote.

The top prize of each section

• Golden Beaver: International section
• Golden Maple: National section, for Canadian films
• Turtle Island Award: Indigenous section (working name)
• Golden Kit: Made by Kids (a kit is a baby beaver)

Special awards

• Special Jury Prize: for a stand-out achievement, such as a young performance, an idea or a craft
• People's Beaver: the audience award, decided by public vote
• Little Beaver: chosen by a jury of kids
• Special Mention: an honourable mention from the jury

What winners receive

• The award trophy, custom-made each year
• A permanent Winner badge on the film page and on the profiles of the credited team
• Possible sponsor prizes, which may include filmmaking grants and funding opportunities, VIP industry networking and mentorship programs, and film distribution and screening opportunities

Top Nominees also keep a permanent Nominee badge on their film and crew profiles. World Focus is a celebration, not a competition, and has no awards.